Tips for Removing an Unwanted Tree

Having a yard and garden you can be proud of and enjoy with family, neighbors and friends is one of life's simple pleasures. Unfortunately, the process of creating a garden is not always so simple. Aside from the usual concerns about watering, lawn feeding and pest control, you may occasionally find that you have to remove a tree from the landscape. The process of removing a tree requires careful planning and preparation.

Controlling the Fall

Think before you cut a single branch. You want to know exactly where each limb will fall when you cut it. It is particularly crucial to know where the tree trunk is going to fall. To bring down the truck, make a wedge cut inward almost to the center from the direction you want the tree to fall. Then make a higher cut on the opposite side. You should be able to drop the tree within a few feet of where you want it. No one should stand anywhere near the spot the tree to fall.

Incremental Removal

For large or even medium sized trees, you should avoid simply cutting them whole thing down at once. It is much safer to slowly trim away smaller branches first, and then tree limbs. After that, you should cut sections from the top until you get close enough to the ground to safely drop the rest of the tree.

General Safety

Anyone involved in the process of cutting down trees should take all necessary precautions'. They should wear a protective helmet, goggles, and gloves. Steel-toed boots are also a smart idea to protect your feet from crushing injuries. Since you will almost certainly be using chainsaws, you should also wear ear protection.

Other Equipment

You will need a chainsaw for this process, since axes can be far more dangerous for those who do not know how to use them, as well as more exhausting. If it is a small tree, you may need only the saw, but for larger trees, you may have to rent a crane to lift you into position for the higher branches and the top of the tree. Using straps and boot spikes to climb a tree the cut the top branches is inadvisable unless you have a great deal of experience and are in decent shape.

Disposal

There are several ways to get rid of the remnants of your tree. One is to cut part of it as firewood for you or others if the wood is a type that will burn well. For the smaller pieces, a rented wood chipper will let you turn it into mountains of mulch for your garden.